Countdown to Opening Day

[FredJacket]

30 days to Opening Day. Just because we can... & to (perhaps?) stir up discussion, some things I was wondering:
1) What would you like the weekend rotation to look like? As far as I know Curry has started every Friday of his career. Do you think about messing with that?
1a) Do you bring Curry into the offense at all? This is one I wish I understood... why not let him pinch hit. In very limited time... he has handled the bat just fine.
2) Over/Under on total wins? If we go .667 at home & .500 on road.... that'll be 33-22. I think we should be a little better than that. (Based on 'feels')
3) Who'll be the closer?
4) Who'll be the freshman/freshmen who contributes significantly?
5) Do we have depth at every position to power through any losses to injury?

 

[THWG]

30 days to Opening Day. Just because we can... & to (perhaps?) stir up discussion, some things I was wondering:
1) What would you like the weekend rotation to look like? As far as I know Curry has started every Friday of his career. Do you think about messing with that?
1a) Do you bring Curry into the offense at all? This is one I wish I understood... why not let him pinch hit. In very limited time... he has handled the bat just fine.
2) Over/Under on total wins? If we go .667 at home & .500 on road.... that'll be 33-22. I think we should be a little better than that. (Based on 'feels')
3) Who'll be the closer?
4) Who'll be the freshman/freshmen who contributes significantly?
5) Do we have depth at every position to power through any losses to injury?

1) Honestly have no clue because we can run 6 guys out there and I'd be comfortable (Curry, Thomas, English, Hurter, Willingham, Bartnicki)
1a) I would like to see it, but I don't think it'll happen unless he becomes the closer.
2) We should be better than that. I'm thinking around 40 wins.
3) I could see 3 people here: Curry, English, or Bartnicki
I think the go to guys out of the pen will be Brace, Archer, and Carpenter though.
4) Miller, Bartnicki, and Roedig
5) I believe that we do. Outfield and infield has depth with Miller, Radcliffe, Guldberg and there is catching depth with Turley.

 

[FredJacket]

1) Honestly have no clue because we can run 6 guys out there and I'd be comfortable (Curry, Thomas, English, Hurter, Willingham, Bartnicki)
1a) I would like to see it, but I don't think it'll happen unless he becomes the closer.
2) We should be better than that. I'm thinking around 40 wins.
3) I could see 3 people here: Curry, English, or Bartnicki
I think the go to guys out of the pen will be Brace, Archer, and Carpenter though.
4) Miller, Bartnicki, and Roedig
5) I believe that we do. Outfield and infield has depth with Miller, Radcliffe, Guldberg and there is catching depth with Turley.

I gotta say @THWG ...you are really optimistic about 2019. Good to see. Let me ask you this... What is/are your biggest concern(s) right now?

 

[THWG]

I gotta say @THWG ...you are really optimistic about 2019. Good to see. Let me ask you this... What is/are your biggest concern(s) right now?

Infield defense. If we can clean up the defense, then I think the Supers our are minimum.

 

[MWBATL]

Infield defense. If we can clean up the defense, then I think the Supers our are minimum.

Wow. Your keyboard to God's ears......

 

[FredJacket]

Infield defense. If we can clean up the defense, then I think the Supers our are minimum.

I'll put the bar at "host" a regional. That equates to Top 16. Now... I'll play my own game here too. My biggest concern is difficult to articulate (or measure/observe). I'll put it in a broad category of team "intangibles". What does that cover? Use any cliche you wish...

KILLER INSTINCT
FINISH GAMES
FINISH SERIES
TAKE NO GAME OFF
KEEP BOOT ON THROAT
LEADERSHIP LEADS
TEAM CHEMISTRY PERFECT

Impossible to measure these things; but you sort of know it when you see it.

It seems pretty clear that on paper, this year's team should be better... mainly because of pitching depth (closer role 'unknown' not withstanding). My concern is over a 55 game schedule can we turn those 4-6 historically "ugly" losses into wins simply by digging deep at critical moments in the season? Will be the difference between being 32-23 or 38-17... that should be enough to reach the Top16 (host a regional) with what seems to be the most talented roster we've had is some time?

PS.... @THWG you said "close" to 40 wins. That would be incredible. 40-15? With 8 out of conference games v UCLA, UGA, & Auburn (assuming we lose only 3-ish) .... only 15 losses total means we'd basically HAVE to be in single digits for ACC losses... that's a Top 15 resume, I'd think.

 

[THWG]

I'll put the bar at "host" a regional. That equates to Top 16. Now... I'll play my own game here too. My biggest concern is difficult to articulate (or measure/observe). I'll put it in a broad category of team "intangibles". What does that cover? Use any cliche you wish...

KILLER INSTINCT
FINISH GAMES
FINISH SERIES
TAKE NO GAME OFF
KEEP BOOT ON THROAT
LEADERSHIP LEADS
TEAM CHEMISTRY PERFECT

Impossible to measure these things; but you sort of know it when you see it.

It seems pretty clear that on paper, this year's team should be better... mainly because of pitching depth (closer role 'unknown' not withstanding). My concern is over a 55 game schedule can we turn those 4-6 historically "ugly" losses into wins simply by digging deep at critical moments in the season? Will be the difference between being 32-23 or 38-17... that should be enough to reach the Top16 (host a regional) with what seems to be the most talented roster we've had is some time?

PS.... @THWG you said "close" to 40 wins. That would be incredible. 40-15? With 8 out of conference games v UCLA, UGA, & Auburn (assuming we lose only 3-ish) .... only 15 losses total means we'd basically HAVE to be in single digits for ACC losses... that's a Top 15 resume, I'd think.

Anything around 40 wins and we will be hosting. I think 36 wins is what we need to host this year with the schedule. I'll also add that the team needs to have better situational hitting. We left too many men on 3rd with less than 2 outs last years.

 

[Buzzbomb]

https://ramblinwreck.com/baseball-adds-jaffe-as-volunteer-assistant-coach/

 

[GTNavyNuke]

I'll play. Been kind of negative week due to overload, so I've tried not to burden people with my attitude.

1) What would you like the weekend rotation to look like? As far as I know Curry has started every Friday of his career. Do you think about messing with that?

Curry should stay on Friday. Thomas, English, Bartnicki should be up there too.

My hope is we have enough other depth with Lee, Willingham, Roedig, Hurter, Biumi, Carpenter and Archer to do substantial middle relief. One of those guys can displace a starter great.

1a) Do you bring Curry into the offense at all? This is one I wish I understood... why not let him pinch hit. In very limited time... he has handled the bat just fine.

Eh, Curry didn't bat at all in Cape Cod. Year before in summer had 84 AB and .224 BA. I think we have others who are much better DHing. X only had 6 AB for us in 2017, 0 in 2018.

2) Over/Under on total wins? If we go .667 at home & .500 on road.... that'll be 33-22. I think we should be a little better than that. (Based on 'feels')

31-27 overall last year, 25-10 at home. BUT 6-17 away / neutral.
27-28 overall in 2017; 17-13 at home. 10-15 away / neutral.

I'd guess 35 wins overall this year. I think the home / away also depends a lot on who you play where and don't feel like going through the entire schedule. UCLA at home is tough to see more than 1 win.

3) Who'll be the closer?
Multiple. Pick a couple of
Thomas, English, Bartnicki, Lee, Willingham, Roedig, Hurter, Biumi, Carpenter and Archer.

4) Who'll be the freshman/freshmen who contributes significantly?

Bartnicki pitching.

5) Do we have depth at every position to power through any {*reasonable*} losses to injury?

Pitching yes.
Hitting probably.
Fielding infield no; catching yes; outfield yes. Need reps to develop individual skills more importantly coordination with others in the infield. Our infield was degraded in last year's regular season and gawd awful in the fall. Maybe due to trying new people in new places in the fall, but what we heard about wasn't positive in any respect.

My question: Should we have Collins spend some time to recruit new baseball coaches?

 

[RoosterJacket]

Which returning player will have a surprise breakout year?

 

[FredJacket]

Which returning player will have a surprise breakout year?

Nick Wilhite (offense)
His BA/OBP will be top 5 on team.

 

[THWG]

Which returning player will have a surprise breakout year?

Waddell. He performed well last year, but I think he's going to a giant step forward this year. His swing is pure.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

Which returning player will have a surprise breakout year?

Oscar Serratos. He is going to become consistent if he stays at 3rd or dynamite fielding if he goes to 2nd. With the bat he's going to get the SO down and walks up. His .311 BA last year was pretty good but will be better this year.

 

[RoosterJacket]

It’ll be interesting to see what CDH does with the infield. Initial guesses based off last season would be that 2B-SS-3B will be some combination of A. Wilhite, Waddell, and Serratos. Then likely English at 1B for most of the games. Are there any other infielders that might supplant one of those guys?

Outfield will be Murray and Colin Hall for sure, but is Carter Hall back and healthy? If so, I’m sure we will see him out in CF with N. Wilhite being the 4th OF to come in for defense and give those guys some days off.

Where does Radcliff fit in? Any other freshmen that might sneak in some PT? Guldberg hit well when healthy last year, how does he factor in?

 

[THWG]

It’ll be interesting to see what CDH does with the infield. Initial guesses based off last season would be that 2B-SS-3B will be some combination of A. Wilhite, Waddell, and Serratos. Then likely English at 1B for most of the games. Are there any other infielders that might supplant one of those guys?

Outfield will be Murray and Colin Hall for sure, but is Carter Hall back and healthy? If so, I’m sure we will see him out in CF with N. Wilhite being the 4th OF to come in for defense and give those guys some days off.

Where does Radcliff fit in? Any other freshmen that might sneak in some PT? Guldberg hit well when healthy last year, how does he factor in?

Right now, I see the starters as LF Murray, CF Wilhite, RF Hall, 3B Serratos, SS Wilhite, 2B Waddell, 1B English/Miller, C McCann (Turley a day or two a week), DH Guldberg/Radcliffe/Miller.
If Carter Hall is healthy and good to go, then he starts in CF over Wilhite.

Edit: Guldberg should start every day imo, but in a super utility role. Mainly a DH who can give Serratos, Co. Hall, or N. Wilhite a day off. I also see Miller getting a good bit of time and probably playing 1B when English starts.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

Nick Wilhite had a .302 BA (115 AB) in Sun Belt over the summer. If he is even close to that BA this season, he should be permanent in CF. (IMHO)

Again, the infield is the concern. Serratos had a fielding % of .865 and 12 errors last year; Waddell .903 and 9 errors and Austin .951 and 12 errors. Serratos and Waddell have to field better for us to go very far in (or even to) the NCAAs. They both played summer ball and hopefully have gotten better ..... I don't know the positions they played in the summer but they did bat a lot.

 

[MWBATL]

The one thing I think I notice in this thread is the tendency to think that because a pitcher has another year under his belt, he'll be better.

That hasn't happened all that often with this coaching staff. More times than not, the pitcher ...is the same as he was in prior years.

To host a regional, you have to assume the freshmen will play huge roles, because the returning pitchers didn't get us to a regional last year (or the year before, or...)

I think it is overly optimistic to rely on freshmen.

 

[FredJacket]

The one thing I think I notice in this thread is the tendency to think that because a pitcher has another year under his belt, he'll be better.

That hasn't happened all that often with this coaching staff. More times than not, the pitcher ...is the same as he was in prior years.

To host a regional, you have to assume the freshmen will play huge roles, because the returning pitchers didn't get us to a regional last year (or the year before, or...)

I think it is overly optimistic to rely on freshmen.

I think that is level-headed & accurate. I also think before any "new" season, fans fall into 2 big buckets:
1) Overly optimistic (to your points)
2) Overly pessimistic
Very few fall right in the middle. Seems to be "natural" for fans to think this way. Can't explain it either.

 

[THWG]

The one thing I think I notice in this thread is the tendency to think that because a pitcher has another year under his belt, he'll be better.

That hasn't happened all that often with this coaching staff. More times than not, the pitcher ...is the same as he was in prior years.

To host a regional, you have to assume the freshmen will play huge roles, because the returning pitchers didn't get us to a regional last year (or the year before, or...)

I think it is overly optimistic to rely on freshmen.

I kind of agree with this, but the pitchers that we are really going to rely on have improved. Curry was better last year than his Fr year. Thomas and Archer were way better (only a handful of innings as a Fr for each though). English showed flashes of why he will be a 1st rounder. Hurter dominated the Cape Cod league and just needs to be more consistent as a So. Willingham and Bartnicki give us some additional talented options if we want to move Curry or English to the closer role. I fully believe that each starter can give us 6 or 7 solid innings game in and game out which is huge. We just need 2 guys (other than Archer) to step up in the pen and we'll be fine.

 

[FredJacket]

I kind of agree with this, but the pitchers that we are really going to rely on have improved. Curry was better last year than his Fr year. Thomas and Archer were way better (only a handful of innings as a Fr for each though). English showed flashes of why he will be a 1st rounder. Hurter dominated the Cape Cod league and just needs to be more consistent as a So. Willingham and Bartnicki give us some additional talented options if we want to move Curry or English to the closer role. I fully believe that each starter can give us 6 or 7 solid innings game in and game out which is huge. We just need 2 guys (other than Archer) to step up in the pen and we'll be fine.

What do you say, @MWBATL ? ... we'll just go ahead and mark @THWG done as optimistic.